Control means for film reel storage cabinets



y 5 l. GELLER CONTROL MEANS FOR FILM REEL STORAGE CABINETS Filed March 4INVENTOR. Isaac Gel Zer Patented May 26, 1 953 CONTROL MEANS FOR FILMREEL STORAGE CABINETS Isaac Geller, Portland, Oreg. Application March 4,1950, Serial No. 147,647

4 Claims.

This invention broadly considered relates to improvements in filmstorage cabinets and specifically to means associated with each bin orcompartment of said cabinet to keep it partially open when the film isremoved.

It is well known that motion picture film is highly inflammable and,when suddenly ignited in quantity, highly explosive. Other inflammableitems are also used in projection booths in theatres. It is also knownthat open electric arcs are employed for providing the requiredintensity of light to the projector of the film. Because of theexistence of the foregoing conditions in projection booths. extremeprecautions must be taken to insure against fire, which is, of course,extremely dangerous in theatres. The fire codes of most communities andinsurance underwriters have strict regulations for the handling andstorage of motion picture film in projection rooms of theatres. Thesecodes not only require the storage of film in a fireproof or fireresistant cabinet, but each reel of film not actually in process ofprojection must be kept in a fully inclosed compartment or bin which isessentially a separate asbestos lined unit in order to avoid the dangerof all film stored in the cabinet being burned simultaneously andthereby producing the dangerous explosive situation referred to above.

Each bin or compartment must be constructed to insure that the interiorof the bin will be inaccessible to fire at all times when the film is instorage but as they are now constructed the interior is alwaysautomatically sealed off whether a reel of film is in storage or not.Thus it is impossible for a projectionist to determine which of thecompartments or bins have film in storage and which are emptly. As aresult projectionists have often times opened the wrong bin and shownreels out of sequence producing undesirable conditions for the theatrepatrons, the projectionist and the exhibitor. Some projectionists haveattempted to avoid this possibility by attaching some signal device,such as a clothes pin, on the handle of the empty bin, but this isunsatisfactory since reliance must be made on ones memory to move thedevice from one bin to the other. This inherent objectionable feature inthe present film storage cabinet is overcome by providing each bin ofthe cabinet with compressible means which hold the bin slightly ajarwhen a reel of film is removed but which offers no perceptibleresistance to the sealing of the bin when the reel of film is placedtherein for storage.

The principal object of my invention is to provide compressible means inassociation with each bin of a storage cabinet for reels of film wherebythe bins will automatically remain partially open when the reels areremoved therefrom and will automatically close when film is storedtherein,

Another object of my invention is to provide a very simple andinexpensive control for each bin of a film storage cabinet by means ofwhich the reel of film next in sequence for projection isinstantaneously indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism forindicating to the projectionist the reel of film next in sequence whichcan easily be installed in existingfilm cabinets without any alterationand at little cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will undoubtedly berevealed as the detailed description is unfolded in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective elevation of a whole film reel cabinet, with itssupporting frame fragmentarily shown, and each bin of which embodies theprinciples of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional, side elevation, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction indicated, of one of the bins or compartmentsof the cabinet showing the position of the bin control mechanism when areel of film is in the bin;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional'front view, taken on line 33 of Fig.2, looking in the direction indicated, of some of the structuralcharacteristics of the bin position control latch;

Fig. 4 is a sectional, side elevation, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction indicated,.of another of the bins in thecabinet showing the position of the bin control mechanism embodying theprinciples of my invention when the reel of film has been removed; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional, side view of a bin or compartmenthaving a modified type of a bin control means for maintaining a binslightly open when no film is stored therein.

The film reel cabinet shown in Fig. 1, and designated generally byreference character A, is composed of a plurality of bins orcompartments, each designated generally by reference character B, sincethey all possess the same structural characteristics. Reel cabinet A ispositioned on and secured to a supporting frame I in any desirablemanner and neither the structural features of the supporting frame northe position of the cabinet A is of controlling importance. A pluralityof divider walls 2 partition the cabinet into separate compartments inwhich bins B are placed. Divider walls 2 are treated with fire resistantor fireproof materials, such as asbestos, so that in the event of a firein one compartment, it will not spread into the other compartments. Thisin effect results in providing a separate fireproof inclosure for eachbin B.

Bins B of cabinet A are structurally alike and therefore only one ofthem will be described to suffice for all. Each bin B has a frontportion acting as a door 3 and a cradle or saddle 4 secured to the lowerportion of door 3 and in which a reel of film 5 may be placed, as shownin Fig. 2,

since the overall dimensions of the cradle or saddle 4, except as todepth, is approximately equal to the dimensions of the film reel 5. BinsB have a common hinge formed by bar 8 passing through the lower portionof door 3 permitting the bins to move in an arc. It is, of course,understood that each bin may be provided with independent hinging means.

A recess I, of a depth approximating the thickness of door 3, is formedat the front peripheries of each compartment formed by the divider walls2 and the common top 8 and bottom 9 of cabi net A. Thus the door whenclosed is flush with the walls of the cabinet and in addition, a betterseal against fire is provided for each bin when reels of film are instorage.

While the arrangement between door 3 and cradle 4 is such that the binwill automatically swing shut by gravity whether or not a reel of filmis in the cradle, nevertheless it is desirable that the bin shall swingopen only far enough to permit the removal of the ,reel and no farther.This is accomplished by providing quadrant shaped cutouts H1 througheach cradle 4 and placing a rod ll transversely of the bins and throughsuch cutouts to allow each bin to move in an arc limited by the spaceneeded to remove a standard type of film reel in commercial use. Bythese means positive closure of the bins is assured whether film isstored therein or not and possibility of fire penetration to the bins isremote.

However these is no way a projectionist is able to determine which binhas film stored therein and which is empty. In order to prevent an emptybin from fully closing and yet permit the same bin, when film is storedtherein, to automatically close, a bin control rod is provided.

Thisconsists of a keeper-plate l2 which issecured to the under part ofthe top portion 3 of each bin in any desirable manner, as by screws I73.Keeper-plate [2 has a pair of guide ears l4 and [5 in coinciding spacedrelation to each other in which a control rod I6 is .slidably disposed..A spiral spring I! surrounds rod 16 and hasone of its ends 18 securedtothe rod and the other ofits ends is secured to the keeper-plate 12 inany well known manner as by screws .20 and 2i. A stop 22 is secured torod to prevent its displacement from guide ear l5. spring H at .alltimes maintains rod I6 against the innerwall of door 3 adjacent to thePOD thereof with sufficient pressure thereon .to resist and prevent thedoor from fully'closing .when no film is in storage in the bin (see Fig..4), but still yieldingl-y resilient .to automatically allow the samedoor to close when a reel of film is stored in the bin (see Fig. 2).

By the foregoing means provided in each bin of a film reel cabinet, aprojectionist can readily and definitely ascertain which reel of film isnext in sequence for projection without in any way disregarding thesafety and fire codes provided for the handling of film in theatreprojection booths. He can readily see which bins are empty and thusmerely reach for the adjacent closed bin for the film.

.In Figure 5 is shown -a modified form of :bin closure controlconsisting of a pin 23 extending from the interior .portion of base 8and .a coil spring 24 under oompressioirheld by the pi-nand confinedbetween the under side of cradle A and base 9.

From the foregoing ,it will thus be observed that there has beendescribed .a ,devioe whioh at- Spiral 4 tains the objects of theinvention and since details of construction may be modified withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, it is not intended to limitthe invention except so far as set forth in the appended claims in whichI claim:

1. In combination with a storage cabinet for reels of film, a pluralityof bins, means for automatically controlling the position of each bin ofsaid cabinet, said means comprising a keeper-plate secured to theinterior of said cabinet, said plate having spaced depending earextensions with coinciding slots therein, a rod slidably positioned inthe slots of said cars, a spiral spring surrounding said rod and havingone of its ends secured thereto and the other of said ends secured tosaid plate to normally but yieldingly press said rod against the frontportions of each of said bins, and a stop secured to said rod to preventits displacement from the slots, said spring being strong enough toprevent full closure of the bin when unloaded but weak enough to allowfull closure thereof when loaded.

2, In combination with a film reel storage cabinet having a plurality oftiltable bins, a spring actuated horizontally movable control rodsecured Within the interior of each bin adapted to at vall timesyieldingly bear against the inside of the door of each of said bins, thetension of said spring being sufficient to resist and yielding- 1yrevent full closure of .each of said doors upon the-removal of thecontents from each of said bins, but allow Dull closure thereof wheneach of the bins is loaded wit 11 3. In combination, a plurality oftiltable film ins having a common hinging means therefor, afiggedkeeper-plate associated with each bin, a rodslidably Carried byeach of said keeper-plates and a resilient means associated with each ofsaidkeeper-pIatBs and rods to at all times yieldinsl tbrustsa d s t wardthe fro of h of said bins and maintain said bins in a partially openedposition when empty, but to allow complete closing thereof when loadedwith film.

l. In combination With a film reel storage cabincl having a plurality ofbins a device for controlling the position of the bins of a film storagecabinet of the class described, comprising a plurality of identicalkeeper-plates secured to the underside of the cabinet in directalignment With each bin thereof, a rod slidably positioned with respectto each of said keeper-plates, a spring associated with each of saidrods and said keeper.- plates to yieldingly force each of said rods tocontact the front of the respective bins and impart sufficientresistence thereto to prevent the closing thereof when empty but toautomatically allow the closing of said bins otherwise.

ISAAC GELLER.

References Cited in the file .of this patent- UNITED ST E PAT NTS NumberName Date 1,302,397 McEwan Apr. 29, 1919 1,321,222 Maloc p Nov. 11,1-919 1,677,439 Fulton July 17, 1928 2,219,170 Bailey Oct. 22, 1 940FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3.3.772 Austria Jan. 15, 1,903312,505 Great Britain May 30, 1,929 357,6 8 .Great ,Britain, Sept. .28,.1931 5.924683 Great Britain Sept. .25, 1947

